The Daniel Craig Bond films: Kickstarting careers from actors

edited June 2013 in Actors Posts: 11,119
Am I the only one in here, or has the fact that landing a role in one of the recent Bond films become a very good plus on one's acting CV? Things have been rather different in the past.....during the Moore, Dalton and some Brosnan Bond films. A list:

Mads Mikkelsen: 'Clash Of The Titans' (2010), 'A Royal Affair' (2012, 1 Oscar nomination), 'The Hunt' (2012, Palme d'Or for Mikkelsen), NBC's 'Hannibal' (2013, TV-series, title role, 'Kung Fu Panda 3' (2015).
Eva Green: 'The Golden Compass' (2007), 'Dark Shadows' (2012), 'Sin City 2: A Dame To Kill For' (2013), '300: Rise Of An Empire' (2014).
Olga Kurylenko: 'Max Payne' (2008), 'Seven Psychopaths' (2012), 'Oblivion' (2013).
Gemma Arterton: 'Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time' (2010), 'Clash Of The Titans' (2010), 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters' (2013).
Bérénice Marlohe: 'untitled Terrence Malick Project' (2013, with Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett), '5 To 7' (2014, with Glenn Close, Frank Langella).
Naomie Harris: 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom' (2013).

Comments

  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited June 2013 Posts: 13,350
    It does seem Bond films are being looked at more today and carry more status with them. The actors are having the most post-Bond success since Famke Janssen.
  • Gemma Arterton: 'Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time' (2010), 'Clash Of The Titans' (2010), 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters' (2013).

    Shouldn't it rather be another example of the kiss of death of being a Bond girl ??

  • Posts: 14,839
    Gemma Arterton: 'Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time' (2010), 'Clash Of The Titans' (2010), 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters' (2013).

    Shouldn't it rather be another example of the kiss of death of being a Bond girl ??

    Actually, Gemma Aterton did really well after QOS. Sure, she did not win an Oscar or became a superstar, but she worked quite a lot.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    Re: Gemma Arterton - She's doing fine and will keep working; she has the talent and looks.

    I do think things are better now, in general, for Bond actors. I am really looking forward to Oblivion with Olga and Pierce, and also for Berenice's new work. I hope she does fine; she was splendid in Skyfall. Naomie has a good resume already and will continue with decent roles, I feel sure.
  • Posts: 4,400
    It's always a shame that many actors who have appeared in Bond films later seem to fade away. So the Craig era has bought about a welcome change.

    Mads was always a renown Danish actor before doing CR, the film though did open him up to a wider international audience which has done him wonders.
    Eva was always going to be a working actress regardless of whether she took the role in CR or not, the film just gave her that little bit more exposure.
    Gemma seemed to burn very brightly very quickly before fizzling out, she seemed destined for A-list status but now seems have found herself staring in offbeat indies or more forgetable films. I hope she can turn things around.
    Olga looked for a while to join the ranks of forgotten Bond girls but has really pulled it out of the bag, she's been the lead in a Terence Malick film and has played a host of leading lady roles. I'd arguably say she's been the most successful actress post-Bond film.
    Naomie was always pretty big before Bond, she didn't really need Bond, she was already working with filmmakers like Michael Mann and Danny Boyle, working with Sam Mendes was probably the allure for her.
  • Posts: 11,119
    It's so interesting to see how different each Bond actor is....and how they choose their kind of movies. Eva Green usually is quite picky on roles. She's mostly doing French movies...and when it concerns a blockbuster it's usually a quite dark, sinister fantasy film. Berenice then. By jolly, a Terence Malick movie. She prefers the arty films. Bit like Mads Mikkelsen, who by the way won the Golden Palm in Cannes (never happened to a Bond actor before). Gemma Arterton simply chooses the big blockbusters, while Olga is appearing in US quality productions lately. I saw 'Oblivion' and I was impressed.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,894
    Re Gemma Arterton: I think it's fair to say that she mixes Hollywood blockbusters like Clash Of The Titans, Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time and Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, with smaller British films like Tamara Drewe, The Disappearance Of Alice Creed and Song For Marion.
  • Posts: 12,837
    I'd take Naomie Harris of the list. She'd had a pretty good career before Bond.
  • edited June 2013 Posts: 2,015
    And Craig himself ? Invasion, Cowboys and Aliens, Golden Compass, Dream House (I've seen 3 of them), one would say his bad movies were after he became Bond, IMO. He continued to do good and very ones too obviously, but somehow the percentage dropped after he became Bond, no ? I'ven't seen all the early Craig movies though, far from it (but Layer Cake, wow).


  • Posts: 11,119
    And Craig himself ? Invasion, Cowboys and Aliens, Golden Compass, Dream House (I've seen 3 of them), one would say his bad movies were after he became Bond, IMO. He continued to do good and very ones too obviously, but somehow the percentage dropped after he became Bond, no ? I'ven't seen all the early Craig movies though, far from it (but Layer Cake, wow).

    You forget a few important MOVIES that starred Daniel Craig. Like 'Casino Royale' and 'Skyfall'. I'm getting a bit tired of typecasted this or that. Fact is, Craig played in some wunderful movies. It just happens to be...James Bond movies.

    Again, I am a movie fan.......and many of those movies include James Bond movies: The crappy ones, for trivia purposes, but also the fine exquisit ones, being true espionage thrillers like 'Three Days Of The Condor'.
  • edited June 2013 Posts: 2,015
    You forget a few important MOVIES that starred Daniel Craig. Like 'Casino Royale' and 'Skyfall'.

    I wrote "he continued to do good and very good ones too obviously". I then specifically didn't write about the good ones.

    Now with your would-be rebuttal, we're somehow guessing that according to you his only good movies after Casino Royale are the Bond ones. So much for Defiance and Millenium, and Flashback of a fool had very good reviews (I haven't seen it), then.

    Let me point out also that Craig never got an academy award nod, which according to you, is the first criteria to judge someone in the show business :) Oh sorry I should rather say to judge whether someone could be part of the stellar cast of the next future classic Bond movie like Christopher Waltz as the villain. I think on the contrary that true movie fans don't care at all + the last idea is what I call definite "typecasting" :)




  • Posts: 2,491
    I would say yes and it's great. We are seeing all of this amazing actors getting a shot for glory by participating in the Bond movies. I don't know who casted Mads as Le Chiffre but I want to hug that guy cause Mads is great actor and deserves more recognition. I would like him to be part of some huge movie that will get him an Oscar nomination cause Mads deserves it.
  • Posts: 3,333
    Rosamund Pike: The Libertine (2004); Pride & Prejudice (2005); Doom (2005); Wrath of the Titans (2012); Jack Reacher (2012); The Devil You Know (2013); The World's End (2013) - plus 5 more movies currently in production.
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